The efficiency of a gas turbine may be improved by raising the turbine gas inlet temperature. In the present state of the art, this temperature is limited because both the blades and rotor disk of the turbine rotor are metallic and cannot withstand gas temperatures above certain maximum values. If these parts are cooled beyond a certain point, there is a loss in performance which offsets the gain from an increase of gas temperature.
Ceramic blades are now under investigation for replacement of the metallic blades of a turbine rotor. Ceramic blades do not conduct heat because of their amorphous structure, yet they pose several problems, including the problem of attaching them to the rotor disk in such a way that hot turbine gases for driving the blades are maintained out of heat exchange relationship to the rotor disk whose metallic structure cannot be heated beyond a certain maximum temperature. A need has, therefore, arisen to provide an improved mount for ceramic blades of a turbine rotor to achieve the foregoing aim.